Has Chocolate Always Tasted This Bitter?
by Bitter Shadow
Summary: After the death of his brother, Daichi loses his sense of taste and his will to live. Najiki knows something is wrong, but there is nothing she can do. Disclaimer: I don't own Kitchen Princess.


Hello readers! Kitchen Princess was my first manga and got me into anime, so I really wanted to do a fanfic for it. I don't own the cover image too, because if I did I would own the manga, and if I owned the story Sora wouldn't have died. Hope you enjoy!

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"Damn!" Daichi cursed quietly as he spun his spoon around in his cup of tea. Najiki wandered over and sat down across from him silently, stealing the occasional glance as she fidgeted with her skirt.

"T-tomorrow is..." She trailed off, unsure what to say. She grabbed at her lacy skirt tighter. He nodded a little, his eyes adverted. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Sora's death. "Here...I thought of you when I made this." She placed a wrapped piece of candy on the table.

She nodded, in some sort of agreement with all the thoughts swirling through her head. "I'll leave you to your thoughts then. Don't worry about paying, drink's on me." She got up to go help another customer. Daichi stayed where he was but watched her fleeting figure.

"Damn," He whispered again, gripping the spoon like it was the only thing tying him to this world. He took a swig from the cup, but it didn't taste like anything. It was just sadness. Why did it have to be this way? He asked himself tiredly. He pocketed the candy and left. He wasn't sure how he was going to break it to his girlfriend who loved to bake he couldn't taste anymore.

Later that night Najiki knocked on Daichi's door. He opened it. "Yes...?" He spoke groggily. She held up a basket hopefully.

"I made some extra food so I thought if you wanted to we could eat dinner together." He nodded and let her in. She found her way to the table and sat herself down, reconfirming in her mind she had to keep him cheerful. He slumped down into the chair across from her.

They ate mainly in silence. She didn't know what she could say that would make it better. "So, what do you think?" He forced down another spoon of the tasteless gunk.

"Delicious."

She smiled weakly. They remained in silence throughout the rest of the dinner.

Najiki woke up early that morning, her pillow wet with tears. She just had a dream about him. She clutched to her pillow. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. She yanked a brush through her hair, letting it rip out the knots. She just didn't care today.

She could see Daichi was hurting. Who wouldn't be? Losing some of the only family he had left...it was terrible. She missed Sora too, terribly. But she knew for as much ass she was hurting, he was hurting more. She wished there was something, anything she could do. She gave him that chocolate, she reminded herself. In it she put a special ingredient, which he would recognize as soon as he tasted it. He would be reminded he was loved.

She pulled out her school uniform and got dressed, but the thought of going to school made her stomach turn. She took a step towards the door and puked. She grasped the wall for support, panting out choked breaths when she could. Salty tears mixed in with the vomit and she sank down to her knees, her legs unable to support her. Her whole body shook as she hugged herself, rocking back and forth. She would have to stay home today.

Daichi had ditched school entirely. He didn't care about that wretched place. He fingered the candy in his pocket, having not even bothered changing his clothes from yesterday as he hiked up over a couple hills. He reached a graveyard and hopped the fence too easily. Graveyards should be harder to get to. Then people would have a good excuse for not going.

He stalked around, finally coming across Sora's grave. He sat down awkwardly next to it. "Hey brother. How's it going? Do you ever think of me? I think of you. All the time. Sorry I stole your girl away." He laughed half heartedly. "Thanks for trying to protect me, I guess."

After a long silence Daichi turned his head away. "Answer me, dammit! Please! Please...why can't you be alive? I'm sorry. It should've been me." He pulled his knees into his chest, burying his face. "It _always _should have been me. Ever since mom died it should've been me! Everyone around me has to suffer the consequences of what I did..."

It would be better if he was just dead. Then no one would have to suffer the pain he causes. Then everyone can live without the tragedies his very existence causes.

Daichi looked up as the chocolate fell out of his pocket. Najiki. Najiki would miss him if he was gone. He unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. He couldn't even taste it. Was there still her love? He wouldn't ever know. She could find another. He hid his face again, laughing humorlessly.

"Has chocolate always tasted this bitter, brother?"


End file.
